


Rise

by neil4god



Category: Dark Knight Rises (2012), Mortal Kombat (1995), Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Bamf Stiles!, Bane has a crush, Canon level violence (only a little), Conditioning, Conspiracy Theories, Crossover, Deputy Parrish vs Derek Hale, Derek Has Feelings, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipualtion, Failwolf Scott, Family Feels, Hurt Stiles, Inducing Stockholm Syndrome, Injured Bane/Barsad, Johnny Cage crossover slight, Kidnapping, M/M, Meet Stiles' Real Family, Mentions non-con; only a little though; what bane wudda done if he didn't like Robin's spark, Pack Meetings, Poor Robin!, Robin is losing his fracking mind, S4 pack minus Chris Argent (he stays in France), Snarky Sheriff, Takes place directly after DKR and just before S4 TW, The Sheriff Knows!, This is kinda darkish so don't say I didn't warn you, Unhealthy Relationships, canon character death, fail wolf Derek - only a little, no liam yet, oblvious Scott, panic attacks - graphic description triggers be warned!, pre-Sterek - Freeform, shifting povs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-17
Updated: 2014-09-22
Packaged: 2018-02-09 07:10:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 17,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1973586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neil4god/pseuds/neil4god
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles might be a little geeky and seriously into comic books, but he's never really been a Batman kinda guy. He always thought he was kind of a douche, or maybe that was just how he was raised. After all, his mom hated the guy and he did kill his grandad. Of course it's not like he can tell anyone that, because seriously, who hates Batman? </p><p> </p><p>Or the one where Stiles isn't really Stiles and his dad isn't really his dad.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ok so this was knocking about in my brain and I don't know yet if it's gonna' just be this little drabble or whether it's gonna' be something proper, but have a go and lemme know what you think x x x

They came from the shadows and for one terrifying moment he thought the nogitsune had returned. The nogitsune frightened him in ways he had long since forgotten, in some basic elemental way that made his hind brain scream RUN. Even months after he still held that terror in his heart and to see two shadows merge into human shape against his wall almost made him scream. Had he been someone else, had he lived a different life, he would have. Instead he slipped the blade he kept under his bed into his hands and crouched down low. 

The laughter startled him out of his crouch, deep and rich yet somehow pained, it was familiar and made his spine relax. He was safe. They were here. He was home. Silently he crossed the room and put on the bedside light, they didn’t like bright things. The came towards him, each slow step bringing them closer to the light. He wanted to rush them, hurry forward and wrap them in his arms. He wanted to hold them and tell them everything that had happened to him, everything that was happening. He wanted to cry on their shoulders and pretend to be a child. Instead he shifted from foot to foot and waited. When the light hit their faces he gasped, his eyes roving over every inch he could see. They were hurt, blood trailed along the carpet after them and seeped from their bodies. Dropping the knife he instead grabbed the overly large first aid kit from the corner and laid it out on the bed. With an authority his friends would never believe he possessed he commanded “Both of you sit down now.” 

They obeyed, sitting rigidly on the edge of his bed. The thinner one ran nimble fingers over the contents of the box plucked out cleaning solution, a needle and threads. Keen to do something instead of just standing there being useless, Stiles demanded answers, “What the hell happened to you two?”  
The smaller man looked up at the hulking figure of Bane, his lashes lowering in submission. Whatever they didn’t want him to know it was obviously bad. They rarely kept anything from him. Addressing Bane directly he asked again, “What happened Bane? I’ve never seen you this torn up and your mask looks damaged. Are you ok?”  
Bane’s voice was less mechanical than usual, obviously because the mask was broken, but it still filled Stiles with joy to hear it. “I am well little one. We will both survive this. We did not want to come to you like this, but these things are better done in person.”   
Oh holy fuck this was going to be bad. Holding out his arms in the universal gesture for a hug Bane beckoned him forward. He let those big hands wrap around him, offering him a shelter he hadn’t had in too long. He inhaled the sweet chemical smell of Bane’s medication and under that the subtler tones of Bane’s own body. When he spoke again it sent a shiver down Stiles’ spine, the noise reverberating around the room even though he whispered. “I am sorry little one but your mother is dead.”   


His weight collapsed onto Bane making him grunt, he could feel how rigid Bane was, how much pain radiated through his body but neither one let go. He wasn’t capable. His mother was dead and if Bane said it then it was fact. Bane would never lie to him. Bane gripped him tighter, let him bury his face in his shoulder and cry. He could barely breathe through the sobs, each breath a wrenching fight for air that he feared he would lose. His head was pounding and the shock of it made it seem unreal, but Bane was here and Talia wasn’t. He curled his body into Bane’s stealing his warmth and drenching him in tears but he couldn’t stop. He felt the hitch of Bane’s breath, the moisture sliding against his face, he wasn’t the only one crying. Bane would be just as lost without her as Stiles would. As always, they were in this together. 

When he could breathe again, think again, he pulled back enough to let Barsad treat Bane’s wounds. The smaller man made apologetic noises as he cleaned out each one and stitched him up, but Stiles barely registered it. He didn’t know what to do, where to go from here. There would need to be a funeral. Stiles had always liked funerals, honouring the dead and preserving their memory was something that he found comforting. But now it made him ache, he didn’t want to watch her lower into the ground or slowly move behind a curtain. He didn’t want others to see her like that, vulnerable in death. She hated being vulnerable, said it was a weakness that he should never possess. She wanted him to do everything he could, live up to every potential and do something important, just like she was. She wanted to see him grow up, become a man. There were so many things that she would never get to do now, that he would never be able to do without her. 

He didn’t want to think about practicalities and rituals, he didn’t want to miss her and wonder about what ifs. Right now all he wanted to do was curl up in a ball and be miserable. Sensing his mood and sharing it, Bane hooshed Barsad off the bed and settled Stiles on it. Pushing and pulling him until his shoes were carefully placed on the floor and he was positioned the way Bane wanted him. He let him move his legs and arms however he wanted, unable to do it on his own. Once he was settled Bane wrapped two strong arms around him and pulled him in tight, both of them curled together in a little ball of misery. Those strong hands soothed him, rubbing along his spine and arms. They lulled him into sleep and the last thing he heard was Bane whisper “Sleep little one for tomorrow you will lead us.”


	2. Chapter 2

The walls were closing in on him. He could feel the room shrinking around him and his panicked breaths echoed loudly in his ears. He was supposed to be listening to Scott tell the pack about the thing that attacked him in the woods. He was supposed to be focused on helping his friends, but the walls were closing in. His throat was closing up and maybe this was what anaphylactic shock felt like, because there wasn’t enough air. He was scrambling for it, trying to suck oxygen into his lungs and he was failing. This wasn’t supposed to be happening, he was thinking too much, too many awful thoughts swimming around his brain. But he couldn’t stop. He wasn’t ready to lead the League. He wasn’t his mom, he couldn’t do what she did. He was going to die, his body couldn’t function if it didn’t have oxygen. His vision was blurring and this was it, this was how he was going to go. Not killed by some monster in the woods or some vigilante with a city to protect, he was going to die in Derek Hale’s sitting room, just like Boyd. 

There were noises coming towards him, but he couldn’t distinguish the voices, “I swear to God Stiles if this is some trick to make me kiss you again then I’ll kill you myself!”  
He could make out growling coming from the distance, Derek probably “You are not kissing him Lydia!”  
“Well we have to do something he’s having a panic attack and that’s the only way I know to stop it.”  
The room seemed to be pulsating, frightened voices melding together in soundwaves and he really needed to breathe now. Only the tiniest amount of air made it to his lungs, his chest expanding to catch it, but failing. There was someone above him, leaning in close, but his vision was too blurred, he couldn’t make out a face. He felt their breath against his skin though, warm and minty, it leaned in close enough that he could feel stubble brush his face. He tried to focus on that, on using this person to anchor himself, the texture of their skin against him but he couldn’t get in enough air to focus and then he was gone. 

It was replaced by warm hands and mechanical breathing whispering to him in Arabic, “Breathe my little one. Listen to my voice and breathe.”  
He matched each inhale to Banes, exhaling in time with him until his vision cleared and his chest didn’t feel like it was going to explode anymore. Bane’s big hands wrapped around his waist and held him tight until he could breathe on his own again. Until he was calm enough to focus on the room around him. His friends were scrambling around the room, trying to fight off Barsad and someone Stiles didn’t recognize. They were losing quite badly and considering every one of them was a supernatural creature it was more than slightly pathetic. It gave him something to hold onto though so he could ignore the fact that he just had a panic attack in front of all his friends. His throat was aching from dragging in breaths and heaving out sobs, so he spoke quietly, certain that they would hear him. “Stop” Instantly Barsad fell back into a defensive position in front of Stiles and Bane, the other nameless man following silently. 

The pack halted their attack, waiting to see what was going on, mostly because Scott was physically holding onto Derek as he snarled at the intruders. He was probably tired of people breaking into his loft all the time. Bane helped him to his feet, keeping one hand around his waist and the other carding through his hair. It was soothing and gave him the courage to face his friends. “Sorry about that. I didn’t mean for that to happen.”  
Scotty frowned at him in concern, his brown eyes melting into Stiles’, “Are you ok? That one was really bad Stiles, I thought you didn’t get them anymore?”  
His eyes darting from Stiles to Bane and the others, but Stiles didn’t know how to introduce them so he was just going to ignore it. “I’m fine Scott, honestly I don’t know what came over me.”  
He was a lying liar who lies but he wasn’t about to tell Scott that. 

The pack waited in silence for him to continue, all eyes glued to Bane. Derek especially seemed ready to rip his mask off and shove his fist down his throat. Instead he sent him a watery smile and pointed towards the door, “I think I’m just going to head home, I’ll text you guys later.” He shuffled forward slowly, his body still reeling from the attack, but he was penned in by his three rescuers so he knew he wouldn’t fall. He stumbled though when he saw Peter Hale blocking the doorway with a grin on his face that did not bode well for anyone. “Well well Stiles, it looks like you’ve been making friends. I would have thought they were a little out of your League.” Fuck.


	3. Chapter 3

Peter was blocking the door and Stiles didn’t want Bane to kill anyone so they were at an impasse. Sucking it up he smiled too brightly at the undead fucker “Always good to see you Peter, but you don’t want to push me today.”   
He let the hardness fill him up, that strength he rarely used but his mother insisted he cultivate. He was an Al Ghul, he was a thing of shadow and darkness and he was not in the mood for this shit! Peter backed up a step on instinct, forcibly halting when he realised, “Well that was certainly unexpected, even more unexpected than you running around with Bane.”  
Stiles was going to kill him, again! Before he could think up a witty reply, Scott was bursting in with a clueless “Who’s Bane?”   
Stiles hung his head, because really? 

It was Peter who answered, “Honestly Scott I truly do despair of you. This hulking piece of man-flesh is Bane, he held Gotham in siege for months. Threatened the entire populace with a giant bomb and gave a local the big red button.”  
It wasn’t a big red button and it wasn’t exactly a local either, but Peter would have no way of knowing that. It made the pack recoil slightly though. Which alright was fair, they couldn’t be expected to know why Bane did it or that it wasn’t really Bane who was in charge. Scott didn’t seem to get any of that though, he was still hung up on the bomb issue, “Huh? I thought that was like a gas leak or something?”   
The fact that Scott was this unobservant and generally ignorant was one of the reasons they first became friends. He missed things, a lot of things that would never add up about Stiles. He missed the way Stiles never really cried at his mom’s anniversary, the way his dad let him do practically anything he wanted. Those things he put down to emotional immaturity and crappy parenting skills. Stiles has no idea how he ignored the other stuff, like his serious skills with weapons, his tactical training, the mysterious skyping and texts, the unexplained phone calls and vanishing ever summer and break. Anyone else would have asked questions, but Scott just rolled with it. While that makes Scott an ideal friend for Stiles it also makes him kind of a shitty Alpha and a generally uninformed individual. 

Apparently he and Peter weren’t the only ones annoyed by this gap in his knowledge, “Seriously Scott Bane killed Batman!”  
Which ok, not true but also not what Stiles would have ever expected Lydia to say. “What? That can’t be true Lydia. That would have been everywhere and the news just said it was a gas leak.”   
This brow was wrinkled into a frown and he honestly looked like a confused puppy. Lydia pushed on, “That’s what the government wants you to think. It was a cover up, all the American channels ran it as a gas leak but the European ones and the freaking internet splashed his face everywhere because he is the bad guy Scott. He locked down the city and then let the prisons and asylums take over the city. How do you not know this?”   
Maybe Bane wouldn’t have to hide as much as Stiles thought. He’d kind of assumed that everyone would know his face, but if Scott was this oblivious then maybe everyone else was too. Scott was shifting uncomfortable, one arm still wrapped firmly around Derek. Malia looked just as confused as Scott, although she had spent the last like decade as a coyote, so he couldn’t use her as a guideline. Kira obviously recognised him though, she kept glancing between Bane and the door, not afraid exactly just skittish. She didn’t want to be in a room with Bane, which alright was kind of fair, the way Bane was glaring at everyone, Stiles wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of that either. Bane seemed to have found a target in Derek though. They were glaring holes into each other and Stiles was a little afraid he might catch fire if he stood between them. Scott scoffed loudly at that, “That sounds like a conspiracy theory Lydia. Next you’ll be telling me we didn’t put men on the moon.”   
He was a freaking werewolf he should know that not everything is what it seems. Lydia, clearly exasperated with Scott’s wilful blindness, threw him a dirty look and stepped closer to Kira. 

It was Derek who brought things back on track and Stiles kinda wished he hadn’t, he was all ready to bulldoze past Peter and get the hell out of dodge, when Derek’s soft voice stopped him “What do you want with Stiles?”  
Peter firmed his stance and Barsad and the stranger inched closer to Stiles as Bane took a step forward. “He required assistance you were unable to provide.”  
And great, Bane was going to be a dick about this, that was just perfect. “We were doing just fine before you burst in. I had it under control.”   
That was a blatant lie, because without Bane’s assistance Stiles would probably still be in that corner fighting for air. Apparently Derek disagreed, “I was dealing with it, if you hadn’t interrupted I would have taken care of it.”  
“How?” It was slow and inquisitive and Stiles knew that the wrong answer would have Derek hanging by his entrails in less than a heartbeat. “Lydia has a technique I thought might work.”  
Ok what the fucking hell? Lydia’s technique? Derek was going to try Lydia’s technique? 

He was so going to kill Bane. Unable to hold it in he shimmied past Barsad and shoved Bane in the chest screaming “Oh my god you asshole! He was going to kiss me! He was going to and you! You – you ruined it! He was finally and then he but you!”   
That might have been a little more inarticulate than he had hoped for, and it didn’t have the effect he wanted either. Instead of reacting to Stiles’ anger like a normal person, Bane laughed hard, his eyes twinkling and the mechanical sound sending shivers up his spine. “Oh my little one how I have missed you.”  
Where Bane found it amusing Derek seemed to find it horrifying, his eyes wide and shocked. And oh crap Stiles basically just admitted he was into Derek in front of everyone and he really needed to leave now. Grabbing Bane’s arm he tugged him along and forced Peter out of the doorway. He needed to escape, to go somewhere quiet and gather his thoughts and figure out how to deal with this, because Derek wasn’t exactly jumping for joy over there. He would deal with that later, it could go onto the list of shit he doesn’t want to deal with, along with everything else. He let Bane steer him towards his jeep and settle him in as Barsad started the engine. He was in the back beside the stranger and that was not acceptable. “Ok who are you?” The stranger smiled, his brown eyes twinkling against his tanned skin, “John Blake, Bane kidnapped me.” Ok what?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Najaat Al Ghul - I'm still not sure I like it, but I had to have something and Najaat means Rescue, Salvation, Deliverance and I kinda liked the ideal of Talia calling her child their salvation.

Stiles left Blake and Barsad in the kitchen preparing dinner. He practically hauled Bane up the stairs so he could yell at him in private, because seriously, what the fuck? He had kidnapped him? There was that twinkle in his eyes that meant Bane found all of this amusing but Stiles didn’t feel one bit amused. In fact he was kinda’ pissed off. “It is not ok to go around kidnapping people!”   
There that sounded good and even saying it made him feel better. It didn’t seem to have any effect on Bane though. “Little one I assure you Robin is no threat. He was to be Bruce Wayne’s heir, instead he shall join us.”   
That just made him even more angry, although he wasn’t sure why, since getting one over on that bastard was always a good thing. “So he’s part of your pissing contest with Bruce?” Bane was quick to respond, not willing to let Stiles’ temper grow. “No. He does not even know I have taken him. Wayne has never cared for his things as he should. Regardless, Robin is ours now and I would like you to treat him as family. It is most important to me Najaat.”  
That made Stiles pause, they rarely used his real name away from the mountain, so for him to ask like this it must be important. 

Then he saw it, that flutter of hope in Bane’s eyes. This was personal, more personal than trying to piss off the Bat. Robin meant something to him. Of course Stiles couldn’t keep something like that to himself, “Oh my god you like him! You fell for his dimples!”   
Bane almost looked embarrassed and how that made Stiles howl! One hand rubbing at the reddening of his neck, Bane replied quietly. “He is strong and loyal and I would have that for myself.”   
He waited for it standing quietly, because Bane wasn’t often interested in people, but when he did, he had a certain preference. Inner strength was not it. “Yes I also find him physically attractive, but had it been simply that alone I would have taken him at will. I would not have brought him to meet you nor allowed Barsad to train him.”  
Well that explained where he got his moves anyway. Although, “Wait if you kidnapped him shouldn’t he be like tied up in the basement or something?”   
The red was creeping up Bane’s neck and exploring his ears right to the tips. “Typically, but I want him to embrace us as family. He needs to understand that we are all he has now.”   
And he got it, like a flashbomb going off he was blinded by what they were doing to him. John, no Robin, was being conditioned. Well if that was what Bane wanted then he would go along with it. He was never able to deny him anything. Before he could leave, Stiles wrapped his arms around Bane’s waist and held him close. When Bane’s arms were secured around him, he told him “We’ll make sure Robin becomes one of us I promise.”  
He didn’t have to look up to know Bane was smiling, “Thank you little one.” 

He expected it sooner, but Stiles had to commend him his patience. He waited a full day and night before he cornered Stiles in the laundry room. Bane and Barsad had left to get supplies so it was just the two of them in the house. He heard Robin follow him into the utility room so he loaded his washing and waited for the older man to speak. “I, you need to help me, please.”   
Smiling to himself he added some softener and turned around to face Robin. “Of course Robin, anything we’re family now.”  
The older man shook his head violently but spoke softly, clearly nervous, “You need to help me Stiles please. They kidnapped me and I just want to get home.”  
Those big brown eyes really were adorable, he could see how Bane fell for them. He moved closer, looping a hand around Robin’s wrist and making small circles on the skin. He could feel the tension in him and he wanted to make it go away. He belonged to him now, he shouldn’t be this upset. “I’ll help anyway I can Robin. I don’t want to see you unhappy.”   
The smile that crossed his face was blinding so Stiles responded with his own, “Thank you Stiles. I need to escape, I won’t tell anyone about them or you, but I can’t be here anymore.”  
Well that would not do. Stiles let his fingers trace up his arm before moving to his neck, soothing the tension there. “You miss home of course you do Robin that’s understandable.”   
He was careful to speak quietly, to lean in close and let him feel his body heat. “Yes!” The way he said it almost seemed angry but Stiles didn’t let it phase him. “It’s important to me that you feel comfortable here Robin. I want you to be happy.”  
Robin smiled briefly before he realised that this was not in fact what he wanted. “No, I need you to help me escape. I need to get away from them.”   
Stiles nodded along like he understood and he did, it just didn’t matter. “We’re alone here. They won’t be back for another while Robin. You could have left anytime you wanted.”   
He saw it flash through his eyes, the sudden realisation that he could have escaped. Stiles made sure to keep his hands on him, touching him constantly so he could feel it when Robin leaned infinitesimally into the touch. “But they’ll come after me.”  
“

Of course they will. You’re family now Robin. Wherever you go they will follow. They care about you, that’s all, they want what’s best for you. Sometimes we’re not all that great at judging what’s the best for us, so we need other people to make that decision for us.”  
Robin nodded along and then froze, “No! They kidnapped me, dragged me half way across the country, tied me up! They are not my family and my name is John not Robin!”   
He certainly had spark, more than his dimples and pretty face, this was what made Bane fall for him. It was no wonder they were conditioning him so slowly, Bane was probably afraid of destroying Robin’s fire. “Don’t you think if they wanted to hurt you they would have? Do you really believe they wish you harm? Bane believes in you Robin. He wants you to be part of our family. That means something, makes you special, whether you like it or not. Now I don’t know much about your old life, but there doesn’t seem to be anything worth going back for. Barsad is your brother, he has treated you with kindness and patience. I saw you sparring with him earlier and I know he regards you as family. We all do. Don’t throw that away Robin.”  
“He kidnapped me.”   
He spoke so quietly Stiles almost missed it, and it was that more than anything that told him he was winning. Robin was an orphan, he had never had a family. Never had someone care about him before, they could be that for him. They would be his family, but for that to happen Stiles needed to be harsh. He needed to make him see the consequences of his actions. Sure he would probably try to run anyway, but it would give him something to think about after, especially when their only response was to bring him back and shower him with affection. “He did it for your own benefit, you’ll see that eventually. But in the meantime, leave if you want, but they will go after you and they will be hurt. I think it’s incredibly selfish to throw away what they’re offering you.”   
Robin’s shoulders hunched up and his body became tight, so Stiles pulled him into a hug, feeling the tension drain out of him at the contact. “I am sorry they took you the way they did, but I am not sorry they did it and you shouldn’t be either. You’re family now Robin. You belong with us.”  
He sobbed quietly, little noises that made Stiles ache but he didn’t move away. He gripped onto Stiles’ sweatshirt and held him tight. He was one of them and this was the first part of accepting that. Stiles let him take the comfort he needed as he grieved for his old life. When he looked up he saw Bane standing in the doorway watching them quietly. Unable to hide it, Stiles smiled brightly and felt Robin snuggle in closer to him. Bane watched it all with bright eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, the next chapter - enjoy x x x

When Robin’s sobs had quietened Bane stepped between them, dragging Robin against his body and manhandling him up the stairs and into Stiles’ bedroom. Robin went with it, docile and pliant until Bane pushed him onto the bed and proceeded to climb on top of him. He used his body weight to pin him down as Robin struggled, screaming blue fury and battling with everything he had. It was not enough, Bane had the tactical advantage, his legs spread wide and straddling Robin’s ass. All Robin’s fighting was doing was pressing his ass even closer to Bane, grinding against him. He didn’t stop though, he screamed and shouted and pleaded, but he was already an emotional wreck to start with. He was drained from his talk with Stiles, he was completely alone and no matter how much he screamed, Bane could do anything he wanted to him. 

Stiles watched him closely as that one thought sunk in. He watched how Robin’s body stilled before relaxing for just a second, for one second Stiles thought it was over, that this would be the end of Bane’s infatuation. One second later and Robin was bucking up again, trying to toss Bane off. His arms flailed wildly and at a nod from Bane, Stiles grabbed them and held them tightly. Robin shot him a look so filled with anger and betrayal that Stiles almost felt bad. But then he reconsidered, this was for his own good and the very fact that he felt betrayed proved it. He was becoming one of them. On some subconscious level, he wanted to be theirs. Bane was just speeding along that process. Bane’s fingers tugged at Robin’s shirt, bringing the cotton up over his head and leaving it there with his arms trapped. It was crude but effective. Careful not to lose his grip, Stiles reached out and plucked a bottle of lotion from his bedside table. The sight of it made Robin shake and sob, his eyes squeezed tight and his muscles rigid with fear. Bane only used a little, he preferred rich oils that smelled of his homeland, but Stiles couldn’t risk letting go of Robin. Once his hands were slathered he placed a large palm against Robin’s back. The reaction was instantaneous, Robin bucked forward as much as he could, desperate to get away. He was mumbling, soft whispered pleas, promises that he would behave, that he would be better. 

Bane ignored it all, his large hands caressing the soft skin of Robin’s back. He dug his fingers in hard against the knotted muscles, slowly unwinding each one to move onto the next. Bane had often done this for him as a child. When he was scared or sad, he would lay him down and work the tension out of his muscles, explaining how each one worked and how to use it against an opponent. He didn’t do that now, Robin was already scared enough, he didn’t need to know that Bane could paralyse him with one hand, hell he probably knew that anyway. The tension was slow to leave his body, and when Bane’s hands dipped lower, touching the dip at his spine, Robin would freeze up, locking his muscles in place. But Bane was patient, he simply cupped Robin’s neck and worked on a different muscle. When the sobs died down, Stiles ran his fingers through Robin’s hair and settled in by his side. Bane shifted Robin slightly so he faced Stiles and continued working with a silent nod for Stiles to begin. 

He made sure his touch was light and comforting. “You know we care about you Robin. We want you to be happy here.”  
There was no response, but Robin was watching him carefully. “I don’t understand why you fought so hard against this. It’s a massage, it’s supposed to be soothing and Bane has magic fingers.”  
There was a grunt from Robin’s general direction. He knew exactly what Robin had been afraid of, it was a rational logical response, but it was not acceptable. They were family now and that meant they did not hurt one another. “We’re family Robin. Bane would never hurt you and he would never touch you like that if you didn’t want him to.”  
Robin froze again, his eyes wide at the implications. “You don’t have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable, but you do have to trust us. You belong with us now.”  
He very nearly said ‘to us’ but caught himself just in time. That would have been a disaster. He ran his thumb down Robin’s cheekbone, curling his palm around his cheek. It was tiny, infinitesimal really, but Robin leaned into the touch. “There isn’t anything that you can do that will make us give up on you. There is nothing that will keep us from you Robin. We will always be by your side. We will pick you up when you fall and we will help you rise.”  
Bane’s knuckle dug into a knot on his shoulder blade and whether he liked it or not, Robin moaned beautifully. “We love you and we are going to touch you all the time. We are going to show you with every gesture how much you mean to us. Do you understand?”  
Robin whimpered a little, his eyes wet with unshed tears. “I’m sorry if we scared you earlier but you should know by now that we only want what’s best for you.”  
Robin’s voice was hoarse and scratchy from crying, his words low, but they still managed to be defiant, “And if you decide I need to be fucked by all of you?”  
Bane answered calmly, but Stiles could see the intent in his eyes, “I will be the only one to touch you little bird and you will beg me to.”  


There wasn’t anything else for Stiles to do so he released Robin’s wrists, kissed his cheek and left them. Bane would not touch Robin without his consent and it would be a long time before Robin gave it. But in the end he would beg Bane, one way or another. Shutting the door behind him Stiles grabbed his hoodie and called out to Barsad, “I’m going to Derek’s back in a bit.”  
There was some banging from the kitchen which he took as agreement. Stiles really should have stayed and helped out, after all Barsad was a terrible cook, but the situation with Derek was playing on his brain and he needed to fix it. He made the drive mostly on autopilot, he didn’t know what to say or even where to start. 

Derek was waiting for him at the door, his hair still wet from a shower and his cotton tee sticking to his damp skin. How was he supposed to function when Derek walked around like that? Was he auditioning for Mr Darcy or something? He was so flustered he could barely stutter out a word, but for once he didn’t have to. Derek hustled him into the sitting room and asked “Who are they?”  
Well that was so not why he was here. If he’d wanted to have that conversation he’d have answered any of the million phone calls or texts from his friends. Desperate not to answer that question, he blurted out “You were going to kiss me?”  
In typical Hale fashion Derek ignored him and asked again, “Who are they to you Stiles? You absolutely reek of them.”  
Again, not a conversation he was willing to have. “Come on Derek, we need to talk about this. Where you going to kiss me and was it just because I was having a panic attack?”  
Derek ran his hand through his hair, growling low in frustration. “You have to be honest with me Stiles. Who are they?”  
Irritated, Stiles flung off his hoodie and paced around the couch. He wanted to get closer to Derek but every step forward he took, Derek took one back. “What does it matter who they are? Where you going to kiss me?”  
Derek shook his head, wait was that a no? He wasn’t going to kiss him? “It matters Stiles. You’ve always hid things and for the most part I’m ok with that. I let it slide because it’s not my business, but this is. They are dangerous Stiles. Really fucking dangerous and you smell like them. Do you have any idea what that’s doing to my wolf? They tried to blow up an entire city Stiles! I don’t know why the sheriff hasn’t arrested them yet, or tried to get the FBI or something to come down here, but they belong in prison. The things they’ve done, they deserve to be put away for the rest of their lives.”  


Hold on, what the fuck? This was Bane they were talking about and there was no way he was going to let anyone trash talk him, even Derek fucking Hale. “You don’t know the first thing about them! What they did, what they tried to do meant something! They are trying to make the world a better place. Sacrifices have to be made Derek. For the whole to survive a few need to die. Gotham is a cesspit that should be wiped off the face of the earth so don’t you tell me what they are or how much better than them you are, because you’re not! They have spent their lives serving the cause, you think that’s easy? You don’t think they wanted to live other lives, be other people? They did but someone has to do the dirty work. Someone has to get their hands filthy and do what needs to be done, so fuck you!”  
He was right in Derek’s face, antagonizing a werewolf for fuck sake but he was so angry. Bane was a mother fucking hero! 

Derek grabbed him, his fingers wrapping around his wrist and that was not ok. None of this was ok. Breaking the hold Stiles shoved him back, lashing out instantly when Derek made another swipe for his wrist. He had Derek flat on his back in a heartbeat. This was not how he wanted today to go. Two steps forward had him staring into Derek’s gorgeous eyes, hard now with shock and anger, “You stay the fuck away from my family Derek or it won’t be Bane you have to worry about.”  
He left him there, panting and confused on the concrete floor. He made it all the way out to the jeep before he took a long breath and let out a slew of curses. He had ruined everything! So much for his youthful hopes of love and Derek’s tight ass! He shouldn’t have lost his temper. Taking down a werewolf in one move and without conscious thought was probably not the best way to hide his skills. No doubt Derek was upstairs ringing Scott and telling him everything. He should have known better, he should have stayed away, what was he even thinking, of course Derek didn’t want to kiss him! Lydia probably read up on panic attacks and told him some other way to stop them and Stiles went and made a fucking fool of himself for nothing. 

The drive home was a blur of self-recriminations and hopelessness. He slammed the car door closed and then the front door for good measure. He was not going to feel guilty about putting Derek on his ass. This was his family and they were the ones that mattered not Derek Hale. So he threw himself onto Robin the second he saw him, wrapping his arms around the startled man and squeezing the breath out of him. Hearing the commotion Bane and Barsad came out from the kitchen. There must have been something in his face, or maybe the slammed doors told them everything, but they wrapped their arms around them both, murmuring soothing words in his own language until he calmed down. This was his family.


	6. Chapter 6

Stiles thrashed in his sleep, arms flailing wildly as he mumbled something too low for Robin to hear. Robin edged closer, unsure if he should wake him or not. He still wasn’t sure what exactly the kid’s role in all of this was. He took orders from Bane, but he seemed to give them too and it had been his idea that they all touch him. Robin, no John didn’t want to be touched, he wanted to escape from these fucking lunatics before they really hurt him. So far it had only been a few bumps and bruises but Bane scared the shit out of him earlier and the lesson had stuck. If he didn’t leave soon then he would never be able to escape. Despite his terror when Bane first threw him onto the bed, he had eventually given in to the touch. He hadn’t meant to. Hell he’d fought with everything he had, but Bane’s fingers had turned him into liquid and part of him, the part screaming John every time they called him Robin, resented the fuck out of that. What he resented most though was how close he was to caring about these people. No-one had looked after him, cared about him for the longest time and he needed that. It was a pathetic weakness that they were obviously exploiting, but it felt nice to be noticed. Sure Bane scared the crap out of him, but he also made him feel loved, a little bit. 

The kid too, there was something about the way he spoke to him that made him feel like he mattered. It was that which made him inch closer to the sweating boy. He had a hand out ready to shake him awake when Bane did it for him. Bane dragged the boy into his arms as he sobbed and raged. It was almost too dark to make out his expression, but there was something in the set of his shoulders that made Robin think Bane was angry. He let Stiles cling to him until his breathing was under control and in a tight voice asked, “Your mother?”   
Shit, Robin had forgotten about that. The kid had just lost his mom, of course he would be upset. Kids loved their parents, especially when they didn’t know what complete psycho’s they were. Stiles shook his head though, whispering, “No. I keep having these dreams ever since…”   
Whatever he wanted to say he couldn’t finish, but Bane seemed to understand. “You have nothing to fear little one and in the morning you will face your fears and fight with this demon.”   
Stiles’ entire body turned rigid, his knuckles whitening as his fingers bit into Bane’s arm. “Please don’t make me. I can’t. I did such horrible things and I didn’t mean too. They deserved better but I destroyed them and it could happen again. Please don’t make me.”   
He was crying hard, his head bowed in supplication. Bane lifted his chin up and spoke softly, “You are better than what you have become. You cannot lead the League with such fear in your heart, I will not allow it. You will take the test tomorrow and my son you will rise.”   


The boy sagged against Bane’s body and eventually slept but all Robin could focus on was those two words, ‘My son’. Was that an expression? Something people say when they don’t think about it? Gordon called him son once or twice and they certainly weren’t related. So maybe it was that, or it could be a League thing. Bane called Barsad brother, but he had seen them make out enough times to be sure that wasn’t true; or at least he hoped like fuck not. He was so focused on that he barely even registered the rest of it. It didn’t hit him until nearly four in the morning. Stiles, the gangly kid who took panic attacks and ate peanut butter out of the jar, was the future leader of the League of Shadows? That was why Barsad himself be bossed about by a teenager? Was that why he was here too? Did Bane need his approval to do whatever it was he was currently doing to Robin? His head was whirling with too many thoughts. He squeezed his eyes shut tight and tried to sleep, he would need his energy in the morning if he was going to escape. He was starting to drift off when a slender arm wrapped itself around his waist and pulled him close. He knew it was Barsad, could feel his lithe muscles pressed against him, but in that moment between wakefulness and sleep, it was comforting and exactly what he needed to sleep peacefully.


	7. Chapter 7

Derek waited until lunchtime, he figured that way the sheriff would have had lots of coffee so he wouldn’t be too grouchy and the station would be mostly deserted. It was Scott who decided to bring donuts. Apparently if they were going to talk to the sheriff about Stiles’ new companions then sugar was required. Derek thought it was kind of stupid, when Stiles found out his dad had jelly donuts he would freak out. But at least he wouldn’t be in the firing line this time. He was still reeling from their last encounter. Never in a million years did he think Stiles could put him on his ass that quickly, or at all frankly. At first he’d only been deflecting, too freaked out by the implications of what Stiles said to actually deal with it like an adult. He had a crush on a seventeen year old, of course he was freaking out. He was far too old for him and his dad was the sheriff. Stiles already got him arrested twice, no way was he going for a hat-trick! 

He let Scott take the lead since he knew the sheriff so well. He followed the alpha into the sheriff’s station to the sheriff’s office. He knocked politely looking exactly like the kid he was and Derek was seriously reconsidering this plan. Maybe he should have brought Lydia instead. She had a great head on her shoulders and the sheriff seemed really taken with her. Instead he shuffled in after Scott and pointedly glared at Parrish. The deputy stayed seated, his fingers tapping out a rhythm on the table beside his half eaten sandwich. Scott kept looking between the two so finally the sheriff asked, “What can I do for you boys?”  


“We need to talk about Stiles, alone if that’s ok?” Christ Scott was supposed to be an alpha werewolf not a mouse! This was obviously a mistake. The sheriff seemed to agree, he didn’t seem keen on sending Parrish outside, his eyes constantly drifting back to the other man. Fed up, Derek told him, “It’s important sheriff, we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t.”  
He managed not to growl when Parrish glared at him but it was a close thing. The smug bastard was asking to be knocked out. Derek had seen him around, mostly around Stiles, making him laugh, touching him all the time. It made Derek’s blood boil. They were almost the same age and if he shouldn’t be touching Stiles then Parrish sure as hell shouldn’t be either! Resigned, the sheriff nodded at his deputy, eyeballing him hard as the other man left the office. There was something there that he missed. Some silent signal or hidden message, something that Derek didn’t understand but felt was important. He would have to keep a closer eye on him in future. 

“Well Scott, what seems to be the problem and are those donuts for me?” The boy handed over the pink box dusting the sheriff’s desk in sugar with the rocky motion. “Stiles has been hiding stuff from you again.”   
The sheriff’s eyebrow raised and Derek needed to practice that more because that was a work of art right there. “And you’re telling me this why?”  
Scott flailed, his words garbling into incoherency and Derek should probably take over now. “He’s going to get himself killed. He’s made friends with some people he shouldn’t have. Killers. We’ve tried to talk to him about it, Scott and the others have been calling and texting him constantly, but he won’t listen. They’re dangerous sheriff and he can’t seem to see that.”  
Laid out bare like that this was the logical step to take. Stiles wouldn’t listen to them but he would listen to his father (not that he ever had in the past). The sheriff nodded slowly like he was trying to wrap his head around it but there was something buzzing on Derek’s consciousness, a sound that tugged at him. Letting his senses roam, he honed in on it, the beeping of a cell phone and Parrish’s anxious breathing. 

He tried to focus on the sheriff who was shovelling a donut into his mouth, but he couldn’t. There was something important happening outside, so he let his attention split between the two. “I understand where you’re both coming from. I know how hard it can be, but Stiles cares about both of you so you don’t have to be jealous of whoever he spends his time with. You’ve both had his undivided attention for so long now that it must be difficult to accept, but he does have a life outside all this werewolf stuff.”  
That was not what he was expecting. About to jump in and correct the truly horrendous misunderstanding, because he was not jealous dammit, Parrish’s voice stopped him. Listen intently he heard “I need to speak to Stiles please.”   
Careful not to look like he was listening, Derek relaxed against a bookshelf and let Scott carry the conversation. He wanted to know why Parrish was calling Stiles and who the hell had answered his phone. “He is indisposed, you may report to me.”  
It was Bane, his metallic voice wheezing across the phone-line was unmistakeable. Parrish gulped audibly but answered in a cool professional manner. “Hale and McCall are here. They are warning Johnny about you.”  
That filthy little traitor! Derek was going to wring his scrawny little, wait, Johnny? Why not the sheriff? Why would he call him that? Darting a glance at the sheriff he was careful to note the strength hidden beneath his clothes, the strong sense of purpose that always surrounded him and a peculiar gleam in his eye, almost like he was toying with Scott. “My son is not hiding fugitives in the house Scott, not unless they look like Derek Hale anyway!”   
Holy fuck he knew about that? His attention was immediately torn away by Bane’s unnatural voice, “It will do them no good. I expect to see you at dinner tonight, my little one could use some company and he so delights in your presence and it will do you good to be with family again brother.”   
Parrish’s response was immediate and heartfelt, grateful even “Thank you brother I will look forward to it.”   


That little shit better not touch Stiles or he’d be burying another body in the woods. He almost stopped paying attention when a low whimpering cry echoed across the distance. It was coming from Bane’s end of the conversation. It grew louder, agonizingly familiar and Derek felt something in his chest snap. That was Stiles. That monster had him, was doing unspeakable things to him while they chatted in the sheriff’s office eating donuts! He had to help him, he had to rescue him. He was reaching for the door without conscious thought, entirely focused on the phone-call. Parrish heard it too, querying “What was that?”  
The monster replied “Just my little one slaying the demon.”  
The call cut out and Parrish slipped his phone in his pocket as Derek barrelled through the door. He was inches away from the traitorous prick when Scott slammed into him, taking him down in a tangle of limbs. The sheriff was close behind, smiling widely at them as they grappled and panted. Derek was shouting and it didn’t matter who heard, Stiles was in danger. “GET OFF ME SCOTT! HE’S HURT HE NEEDS HELP!”   
With one final shove Scott smashed into a desk, knocking the paperwork askew. The sheriff’s hand extended and Derek used it to lever himself up, but now he was standing the sheriff was blocking his access to Parrish. “Calm down Derek, Stiles is fine. He’s just practicing is all.”  
Keeping his eyes on Parrish Derek asked, “Practicing what exactly?”  


“That’s something I can’t tell you. Now while I do appreciate your concern, Stiles is kinda’ pissed at you right now, spent all last night ranting about you to that poor little bird. From what I hear you said some pretty nasty things about Bane and that doesn’t wash well with Stiles.”  
The sheriff had his undivided attention now. He knew about Bane. He knew Bane and hadn’t called in the FBI or hauled him out in handcuffs. Why would he let someone like that near his son? “You know?”  
He caught a glimpse of Scott on the floor looking dazed and confused although on him that could mean anything. The deputy took a step closer to the sheriff, firmly showing his allegiance, not that Derek needed the reminder. The sheriff sighed and wiped some sugar off his uniform, “I know everything, so take some advice from an old man who’s seen a lot, take a step back and figure out what you want. Figure out what it is that bugs you so much about this situation and then work out the best way to fix it. I’d recommend grovelling, Stiles loves to watch people beg. I think that’s his mother’s influence. She had a mean streak a mile wide, of course his father can be a right bastard too. Bane won’t be here much longer, he has things to take care of elsewhere that need his attention, but you should make amends while he’s here. Bane’s approval means a lot to Stiles. If you want to stand a chance with him then you’ll need that.”   


Why were they talking about this? The sheriff should be worried about Bane breaking Stiles’ spine, not Derek breaking Stiles’ heart! Why wasn’t he more concerned? Didn’t he get it? Had he not seen the coverage, the desolation and the destruction that Bane wreaked in Gotham? Could he possibly have missed the unrest and civil disobedience and breakdown Bane’s actions caused? The man put a giant bomb in the middle of the city and then trapped everyone inside! He wasn’t the fucking Tooth Fairy or Santa Claus, he was a stone cold killer and there was no way Derek was going to let Stiles get hurt. Not again. Turning on his heel his left it all behind, he would deal with this himself. He knew Stiles’ scent, could recognize his heartbeat, he would track him down, convince him to see reason and if necessary save his scrawny ass again.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, sorry for the late update.  
> I built my sister a Harry Potter monopoly set for her birthday and it kind of sucked up way more time than I expected.  
> Anyway enjoy x x x

Scott didn’t know what to do so he went home and called Lydia. Usually he would call Stiles and Stiles would tell him what to do, so without him, he was feeling lost. Lydia took up the role with alacrity though. She summoned the others and arranged for everyone to meet at Scott’s house to discuss the issue. The only one who couldn’t make it was Derek. Scott wasn’t too sure where he was but he wouldn’t pick up his phone and he hadn’t answered any of their texts so they started without him. It was Liam who kicked things off, asking tentatively, “So is something else trying to kill us?”  
Kira waited wide eyed for an answer and they really needed normal fucking lives! Lydia took over, smiling serenely,“Not at the moment anyway. This is about Stiles. His attachment to Bane has us concerned. We need to separate them before he gets hurt.” Liam still looked puzzled, his head tilted to the side, “But why? I mean they’re obviously friends or family or something and Bane doesn’t seem to be hurting him or anything, so why can’t we just wait it out? It’s only a visit, he’ll leave eventually right?”  


Scott was answering before he even thought about it, “No, he’s not Stiles’ friend or whatever I’ve never even heard of them, whatever this is their using Stiles, brainwashing him or something.”  
That was what he and Derek had decided earlier, Bane was doing something to Stiles that was making him turn on his friends. Lydia however seemed to be thinking about it, her lips pursed and her eyes squinting sharply, “What do we know about his mother?”  
Whatever Scott was expecting her to say, that wasn’t it. Her jerked forward from his position on the bed, belching out “What?”  


“Could this be related to his mother? I mean it’s clearly nothing to do with the sheriff, even if he is letting them stay in his house, it must be related to Claudia. What do we know about her, her family?”  
He kept his head down and shrugged, there wasn’t much to say “Nothing really, Stiles doesn’t talk about her ever.”  
That sharp brain was picking things apart and Scott honestly had no idea where this was going. “What not at all? What about around the anniversary? Even Derek talks about his family then.”  
It was kind of sad that it was true, but Stiles never talked about his mom. He barely even said her name and there were no pictures of her in the house. “No, I mean I don’t think so. I’m not really sure when she died.”  
“How could you not know that Scott? You’re his best friend.”  
Getting offended, because he was a great best friend, he told her “I’m pretty sure it’s during the summer when he’s away. His dad sends him to stay with family in the mountains or something like every year.”  
“Alright then, what was she like? Did she seem the type to fall in with a cult or to raise her son to believe in something like this?”  
“How should I know? I never met her. They only moved her five years ago, she was already dead and I don’t actually know what he believes. I mean I don’t think he believes in God and he’s never been really religious. He does Christmas but I think that’s more for the presents and I know he’s not Jewish. What does it matter what he believes anyway? How is religion involved in any of this?”  


Kira was smiling at him so he smiled back, big and wide. It gave him something to focus on other that Lydia’s scowl. “This isn’t about religion Scott, this is about belief. The League of Shadows believe that the only way to save something is to destroy it and build again. For centuries they have been destroying cities that are too corrupt to be salvaged. That’s not the kind of belief you stumble into Scott, not at Stiles’ age. If he believes they’re heroes like Derek said then he believes in their cause. That means he was most likely raised believing that. The simplest answer is that it has something to do with his mom. If she was a believer then she probably taught him to believe too. Even if he didn’t really understand it at the start, it could be a way to feel closer to her now. We need to know more about Claudia and the family members he stays with during break. If they’re from his mother’s side, they could be filling his head with the same thing every summer.”  
Kira entangled her fingers with his and he let it soothe him. When Lydia was finished speaking Liam burst in with a question, “How come you don’t know anything about your best friend?”  
His claws popped out, scraping against Kira’s skin but not drawing blood. “What?”  


“I don’t mean it that way, but he knows everything about you right? And the only thing Mason doesn’t know about me is the werewolf thing, and you guys seem really close, so how could he keep a secret this big from you?”  
That softened the blow somewhat but it still hurt. Liam was right, there was a lot he didn’t know about Stiles. Stuff that he had just let slide, or hadn’t paid attention to, now here it was biting him in the ass. Lydia held up a finger, putting everyone on pause as she worked through something in her head, “He has a point. How could he hide something like this from me? Whatever about Scott, he barely managed to keep the werewolf thing a secret from me. What else has he been hiding from us?”  
Whatever was going through her head Scott wasn’t privy to it. They already knew Stiles kept his mother private, so why the big face from Lydia? “We need to speak to him. There’s more to this, he’s been hiding since he moved here and I want to know why.”  
“Lydia I don’t think-”  
She cut him off, her voice high enough to hurt his ears, “No you don’t think Scott! If you did that once in a while we wouldn’t be in this mess. If you noticed that your so called best friend, isn’t who he says he is, we wouldn’t be here right now. He has been lying to us since he moved here. And looking back it is so obvious. Everything about him is wrong. It’s all an act.”  


He was almost afraid to ask so Kira did it for him, “How?”  
“I’ve seen him sleepwalking and he’s graceful, a few times he thought no-one was watching, I’ve seen him move like a ballet dancer. That awkward thing is an act, he fakes it. And the lies, he is a terrible liar, he’s unbelievable awful at it 98 percent of the time. I think the 2 percent is the real him. He only ever does it when he’s desperate, but it is so damned believable that it always works. But it’s not just that, I bumped into some girls from the next town over a few weeks ago and they asked about Stiles. They wanted his number because they heard he was so good in bed. At the time I brushed it off, because we all know Stiles has never has sex with anyone except his own hand, but now I’m wondering if I wasn’t wrong. Then there's his dad. The sheriff lets him away with way more crap than anyone else ever would. Sometimes it's like Stiles is the head of the family, not him. The sheriff obeys him Scott, what parent obeys their child? And the werewolf thing Scott, he knew you were a werewolf before you did right? He researched it and he handled it. He has been handling everything since this whole mess started, moving us like pieces on a chessboard, handling us. I don’t think you’re the alpha Scott, Stiles is. He’s been in charge all this time and none of us ever noticed.”  
He was starting to feel queasy. How could he not know about any of this? Stiles was his best friend, he told him everything! The second he lost his virginity he called Stiles (from Allison’s bathroom in hushed whispers), why would Stiles hide all this from him? Liam drew him back into focus, his hand raised like a pre-schooler “I did.”  
Wait, hold up, “What?”  


Liam ducked his head under his alpha’s stare, but answered honestly, “Well yeah I mean anytime you tell me something’s up, Stiles is always there and he’s the one who just told you, so I figured you were the alpha because he couldn’t be. You know because he’s not a werewolf. I think Derek knows too, he always listens to what Stiles says.”  
How could he think that? Was that true then, was Stiles really the Alpha? Kira smiled brightly at Liam and laughed, “That’s because he’s in love with him.”  
The boy nodded his head and smiled back “Oh, that makes sense.”  
Yeah no, that does not make sense, he was still trying to wrap his head around Stiles maybe liking Derek, Derek reciprocating was too much for him right now. With a sense of purpose Lydia hauled herself up off the bed and tugged on her denim jacket, announcing “Grab your coats, we need to speak to Stiles, now.”  



	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update, it's been a busy week.

Derek tracked him to the woods but he missed them by maybe twenty minutes. The stench of fear was still heavy in the air though and it made his wolf panic. It wasn’t helped by the fact that there were dead animals all around the area. Two bunnies and a deer that they must have brought home with them. The bunnies were torn apart, likely with bare hands. He chased the scent of terror through the forest and back into town, stopping outside Stiles’ house where the sheriff’s car was parked. Standing under a tree in the rain (like a proper stalker) Derek let his senses expand until he could hear everything inside. Stiles’ heartbeat was firm and steady. Whatever had scared him so much earlier was obviously gone now. They were having dinner, venison. Stiles was there with his father and deputy Parrish. The three strangers were too. He curled his claws into fists and tried to hold himself in check. Stiles was fine, he was safe. He was chatting to Parrish about the new Doctor Who and his many concerns regarding Peter Capaldi. It was a rant Derek had heard many times before, but instead of listening passively, as Derek always did, Parrish was bouncing in with his own concerns and opinions. The adults were chatting among themselves quietly, while the skinny fighter, Robin apparently, soaked in his own fear and desperation. He never made a sound, he ate his food quietly, but Derek could smell his desire to flee from outside. He didn’t want to be there. 

It took him a while to realise what was wrong, what was missing, but once he realised the silence seemed deafening. Stiles was still. He wasn’t fidgeting in his seat like he usually would, drumming his fingers against the table top or toying with the salt shaker absentmindedly. He simply ate his food and chatted quietly to the deputy. The stutter beat of his heart had stopped it’s stutter. Derek was so used to hearing it that it had become a comforting white noise, but without it he felt uneasy. Stiles was different, even his scent had changed. The baseline of fear that had been present ever since the possession was gone and in its place was something new. Something bold but with the faintest undertone of bitterness to it, Derek had smelled something similar once, a plant his mother warned him away from as a child. Maybe that was what had caused the sudden change? Maybe they had drugged Stiles and that was why Robin was so tense? He pulled his senses back enough to listen in to the conversation, surprised to find Stiles and Parrish now leading a discussion on politics. 

Stiles used to scoff and laugh at everything on the news. He avidly avoided politics, refusing to even watch The West Wing or Newsroom. Derek had thought it a sign of his immaturity, but here surrounded by these people, Stiles leads the discussion like he knows what he’s talking about. This isn’t something he’s picked up from Wikipedia, his points are intelligent and well thought out. Derek almost expects him to whip out a political treatise any minute now. This is a side of him Derek has never seen and he desperately wants to see it now. He wants to watch his expressions as he argues his point. He wants to watch him run frustrated fingers through his hair and torment him by playing with his lips while he considers something. In short, he wants to be in that room with Stiles. A raised voice snaps him out of his daydream. From the ribbitting of Robin’s heartbeat, he was the cause of the commotion, but it was the Sheriff who was losing his temper. Derek heard Stiles shuffle closer to someone, by the sudden proximity of his heartbeat, he’d guess Robin. The Sheriff’s voice drowned out whatever Stiles was saying to the terrified man, his tone harsh and angry, “You can’t do this to me!”  
Derek let his claws slide out, ready to intervene on the Sheriff’s behalf if he had to. Stiles would be seriously pissed if something happened to his dad. 

Bane replied coolly, his voice soft yet threatening “I can and I will. You had one task. Talia trusted you to care for her son and you have failed.”   
The Sheriff’s heart was beating frantically and if Stiles realised then the Sheriff would never be allowed meat again. He stuttered out a denial, his desperation making him sound weak, Derek could feel it in his bones, what a soft easy target the Sheriff would make. Like a predator, Bane pounced, his soft tone sharp and vicious, “My son has been attacked, beaten and traumatised. He has been made weak and it was through your negligence that any of it happened. You dare to deny it? He will rise and you must fall.”   


Derek was reeling. Son? Stiles was his son? Derek had known the Sheriff wasn’t his real father, had assumed he was adopted and either didn’t know or didn’t care about it. Suddenly he felt the pieces shift into place, Stiles was placed there, to be kept safe. They wanted him to grow up away from their world, safe in a normal life until they came for him. Those odd glimpses of grace, the strength to his grip and breathless speed were a legacy from his other life. How much of what they saw every day was really Stiles? How much of it was all a game, to hide who he really was? Derek had seen Bane and the other’s fight, he had felt how fiercely protective they could be and there was no way that they didn’t teach Stiles how to defend himself. All those random things Stiles just magically knew, the languages he picked up almost overnight to translate something, the mysterious sources he never told them about, they were all part of his past. He didn’t want to listen anymore, he didn’t want to be there, creeping outside the house of this boy who wasn’t Stiles. He pushed himself off the tree, striding through the rain with no real sense of purpose other than to escape. He was so blinded by his own thoughts he nearly collided with Lydia, dodging her at the last moment. Gripping her arm tightly until she regained her balance, he mumbled, “Come on. You don’t want to go in there. We have things to talk about.”  
He led her back to her car and waited for the others to fall in line. He needed to think about this, he needed information fast and with Stiles out of the picture, that only left Lydia and Peter. Something told him his uncle would be more than willing to help. After all, when he saw Bane, that had been real terror in his eyes.


	10. Chapter 10

Peter was waiting for them at the loft, his shoulders tense and his eyes hard. It put Derek’s wolf on high alert, jolting it out of its despairing whimpers. The older wolf waited until they were all settled before he began, “I’ve spoken to some contacts of mine. According to them The League takes in wolves and witches as readily as humans. I think perhaps Stiles was sent here to recruit.”   
Derek kept quiet, letting the comforting noises of his pack soothe his wolf. It was difficult, it felt like something was missing, some part of him had been ripped open and left aching. Lydia replied sharply, “But he’s been here for years, before Derek even considered coming back.”   
Peter flashed his creepiest grin at her, somewhere in the deepest part of his mind, Derek knew that was supposed to be seductive but thinking about it made his brain melt. “This place draws the supernatural to it, he just had to bide his time.”  
It was Kira this time, outraged probably more on Scott’s behalf than Stiles’. “He’s a kid!”  
Peter ran fingers through his hair, glancing again at Lydia before he told them, “His father is not. I’m not saying it was his mission, it could easily have been Johnny’s. He has quite the reputation you know, if you ask the right people. I’m saying that we need to be careful about this. Stiles is a lot more than he seems, if he’s Johnny Cage’s son then he’s been hiding a lot from us.”   
It was time to tell them, but he didn’t want to. He didn’t want them to feel betrayed like he did. Quietly he announced, “This has nothing to do with recruiting.”  
Peter tried to shout over him, but Derek’s glare cut through him, so he continued. “He was sent here to be safe. I don’t know about his mom but his dad isn’t the Sheriff, it’s Bane. They sent him here to keep him out of danger, Bane wasn’t happy when he realised all the messes Stiles had been getting into.”   
There was silence around the room, which was fine, there wasn’t anything to say. It made him feel isolated though and more alone than he had been in years. 

Peter’s mouth formed words but nothing came out so he snapped it shut again, processing the information. Lydia was faster, her face scrunched up in concentration as she spoke, “Well that makes perfect sense. It explains everything and it gives us something to work on. If Bane is his dad then no wonder he worships him, he’s the leader of one of the most terrifying cults in the world. All we have to do is make Stiles realise that.”  
His wolf thumped his tail once in hope before it remembered why that wouldn’t work and went back to sulking. Clearing his throat he replied, “Bane isn’t the leader.”   
She arched one perfect brow in question so he continued, “I think his mother was and now Stiles is. He’s going to take over the League.”   
Peter’s heart rate kicked into overdrive and his skin lost what little colour it had. “Well that’s a good thing right? If Stiles is the new leader then he can just like disband it right?”   
Scott’s enthusiasm burst out of him, exploding all over the room and soaking Derek in dejection, because seriously, how could this be their Alpha? Lydia covered her eyes and even Kira looked down. Peter’s muttered “Allison” under his breath over and over again while he got his claws under control. 

Liam sidled up to Scott, confusion written all over his face, “Seriously Scott? How could you not know Stiles was the real Alpha when this is what you come out with? He’s not going to disband anything, he’s going to lead them and do one hell of a job. I mean he’s been practising with us for ages now and that’s when he’s pretending to be all spazzy and awkward. Maybe we should call it a night and re-group tomorrow. It’s the big summer lacrosse game tomorrow, he’s sure to be there. We can talk to him and try to figure this all out.”  
It was a good idea and if it meant he could get rid of Scott and his monumental stupidity then Derek was all for it. Nodding his head he ushered them all out, sighing heavily when Peter refused to leave. “What is it Peter?”  
“They aren’t going to have any effect on Stiles, this will be all down to you Derek. You’re the only one he listens to and we both know why so nut up and fix this!”   
He growled at Peter but the other wolf laughed and sauntered out of the apartment. How was he supposed to fix this? Stiles was the leader of the League of fucking Shadows! He couldn’t change that. No matter what Peter thought, Stiles was still a kid and Derek was still older than him and doing anything about it would be wrong. He was too old, he would not be Stiles’ Kate Argent. If that meant they would lose Stiles, then that was something he would have to learn to live with. His wolf whimpered at the thought, protesting loudly that no, that was not something it could live with. Stiles was theirs and if Derek kept fighting his wolf like this then eventually he was going to lose. 

Robin was freaked out. He was wrapped up in a blanket with a bowl of popcorn on his lap and Stiles tucked in against him watching the Avengers and he didn’t know what to do. Part of him, a pretty huge fucking part, felt more content and happier than he ever had in his life. It was the little part, the tiniest slice of self-respect and willpower that told him this was wrong and fucked up and he needed to leave stat. He couldn’t though. Bane would follow him. They all would. The entire league would come for him because he was theirs now. Stiles ran his thumb down his jawline and the sensation almost made him whimper. It was so nice to be touched, to be cared for. He couldn’t help but lean into the touch a little. Stiles smiled back at him, bright and wide. A hand came down on his shoulder startling him, but it was only Bane, moving him further down the couch so he could sit. When he’d gotten comfortable he dragged Robin back to him, holding him close, tucking his head against his chest and putting the bowl in his own lap. It was intimate and weird that it wasn’t weird. Bane had been touching him and manhandling him ever since that massage. They all had and Robin had to admit, it was working. He was coming to care about these people, especially Stiles. 

There was something about the kid that got to him. He had watched him face his fears in the woods today, terrified to drink the tea they gave him. Robin had tried to stop it, he had tried to help Stiles, to get away from them, but Bane had laughed. Defiant the boy knocked back the foul concoction and then he lost it. He started ranting and wailing in various languages, flitting between the trees attacking things. Killing animals and screaming like a Wildman. It was terrifying but Bane watched it all with a sparkle in his eye that meant he was pleased. Robin was starting to be able to read those tiny expressions he made. It should freak him out that he could, but at the time he was so focused on Stiles acting the lunatic to think about it. Bane wrapped an arm around him and dragged him close against his chest, whispering into his ear “He faces his fears head on as he should. His bravery should be rewarded don’t you think? I could give him the little wolf he wants so much, tie him up and leave him for him to play with. Do you think he would like that?”  
The shiver that went down his spine was absorbed into Bane’s chest, but it couldn’t stop the horror that accompanied it. A puff of metallic air at his ear made him catch his breath as Bane continued, “We could lay him out nice and bare in wolfsbane ropes so he can’t escape. My little one is in love with him. I don’t think he’d mind having to force his pleasure.”   
Robin managed to stutter out a response, terrified that Bane would listen to his own advice and have him tied to a bed. “I think Stiles wants Derek to come to him. He wouldn’t like having to take him.”  
Bane ran his face against his neck, the cool touch of the metal making him gasp, “Only as a last resort then. I’ll keep that in mind little bird.”   


An explosion on the screen snapped him out of his thoughts. It had scared him, how casually Bane regarded rape. Sitting here now, with those large hands pressed against his side and his face so close he could hear Bane’s heartbeat, he wondered when Bane would break and use his last resort. He shivered slightly so Bane pulled the blanked up higher, wrapping it carefully around his shoulders to keep the heat in. With gentle hands he began to stroke his side, tiny whirls of pressure that made him ache for more. He was fucked.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BannanWombat wanted Stiles doing motorbike tricks with Bane, but as much as I loved the idea it didn't fit, so here instead is Stiles doing stunts while Robin and the pack watch. Hope that's okay.

Derek smelled him before he saw him, that rich scent underlined by fear, less fear than Derek expected really. He made sure to stay in plain sight, not wanting to startle the man. He still looked around though, clearly afraid of something. “I’m Derek. You’re Robin right?”  
The older man nodded and looked into the supermarket again, probably afraid Stiles would see them. “I shouldn’t talk to you Derek I’m sorry.”   
He was slim built with dark hair and piercing eyes, good looking and exactly Derek’s type, but he wasn’t Stiles and that was starting to mean something to him. He smiled brightly though, he’s watched women the world over go weak kneed at that smile, men too. Stiles laughed whenever he used it, but it was effective. It made Robin relax a little. He stopped twitching at least which was something. “I only want a minute Robin. I know things aren’t ok with you. You’re not like the others. I don’t think you want to be here and I can help you get away.”  


He saw the temptation in his eyes, the desire to take Derek’s offer and run far away. He wanted it, but then his eyes shuttered closed and when they opened they were hard. “No Derek. You can’t help me. There isn’t anywhere Bane wouldn’t find me.”  
That was seriously disturbing. Derek had smelled his fear in the house, he knew how desperately he wanted to escape, but what he was going to stay with them because of Bane? “Robin, that’s not healthy or right. You shouldn’t stay with someone out of fear.”  
He was quick to reply, “It’s not fear. I’m family and Bane always comes for his family. You should leave Derek, Stiles doesn’t want to see you and Bane well, you should stay away from him.”   
He was not leaving until he had Robin’ agreement to help, he couldn’t. “Look please, just talk to him. Stiles tells you everything, you’re his friend, you can make him see reason. They’re bad people Robin and I only want to keep him safe. Please help me.”   
Derek watched him waiver, and he hoped but then it was gone again. “I’m sorry Derek I really am, but I can’t talk to you, you’re not family.”  
“They’re not your family Robin!”  
He probably shouldn't have shouted, but Robin didn't seem cowed by it. Instead his spine straightened out at his shoulders squared, “They’re the closest thing I’ve ever had to it. Stiles loves me, Bane loves me, even Barsad loves me Derek. I won’t betray them. If you want to be with Stiles then you should become family too.”   


Stiles came up behind Robin and wrapped him in a backwards hug, muttering into his ear, “See I told you there was nothing to worry about. You did so good.”   
Robin's face blissed out at Stiles’ soft words, leaning back into the contact and relishing it. This was all some sort of test, Stiles knew Derek would approach him and they wanted to test Robin's reactions. Fuck, they used him and he didn’t even realise it. Stiles smirked at him over Robins’ shoulder, “Whatcha’ doin’ sourwolf?”  
Stiles knew exactly what he’d been doing, he always knew. He kept his grip on the older man, letting Robin lean into the touch as much as he wanted. He looked grown up, older suddenly. There was a maturity in his eyes that Derek had suspected but rarely seen. He was confident and self-assured, graceful even, he hadn’t flailed once. This was a whole new Stiles, no this was Stiles as he was meant to be, without the nogitsune and the need to hide. Derek backed away slowly, his wolf whimpering at the loss of his mate. He wanted to crawl to Stiles on his belly and beg to be loved and touched but he couldn’t. 

Stiles brought him to a parking lot and settled Robin in with the snacks he had bought while he checked over the motorbike. Robin was still in shock. This whole morning had been strange. Stiles wanted him to go somewhere with him, just the two of them. Bane didn’t even bat an eyelid as they left. He could have run away. This could have been his escape. It was a small town, he could have been on a bus or train out of this place, back to safety, but he wasn’t. He told himself that he would run when Stiles left him outside alone. He couldn’t force his legs to move though. He was glued to the spot Stiles left him and it wasn’t fear that did it. Hale should have been his salvation, he could have told him everything, begged for the help he so readily offered. But he didn’t. What he’d said was true, this was the closest thing he had ever had to a family. They made him feel cherished and protected. Sure they still scared him sometimes, dinner last night had his breath coming fast and his adrenaline spiking, but Stiles got him through it. 

It was fucked up and wrong and he was losing his mind, he had to be. They had learned about all this stuff at the Academy. He knew what they were doing when they touched him like that, when they were nice to him. It was all a strategy to fuck with his head, but it was working. And knowing the playbook they were using didn’t actually help him. He had denied himself the chance to escape, he was officially in Stockholm. Fuck! 

The roar of an engine cut through his thoughts. Stiles was riding up and down in great eight shaped figures, building up speed. At the edge of the treeline a group of people huddled together watching. Robin guesses that’s the pack. He hasn’t met any of them yet, but Stiles has told him all about them. Derek was right, he told Robin everything. Although he does wonder how Derek knew that. Maybe he just smelled extra Stilseish? Whatever it was it didn’t matter. The pack looked ready to run to Stiles rescue at any second. Not that he needed rescue. The boy had the bike up on one wheel and was bouncing down the tarmac. The brunette with the uneven jaw, Scott, looked ready to have a heart-attack. Whether that was because he was worried about Stiles or because it was Scott’s bike Stiles hotwired, Robin couldn’t tell. The small Asian girl kept a hand on his arm, holding him in check. They wouldn’t approach today. His police training taught him that much. They would observe today, probably follow them wherever Stiles wanted to go and tomorrow they would make a move. 

It’s funny that Derek seemed to act so independently from them. According to Stiles he was the one who needed the pack most. As a born wolf he needed the pack to keep him grounded. Or maybe this wasn’t his pack but he hadn’t realised it yet? If Derek joined the League then it would fix everything. Stiles, despite the show he was putting on, did not want to leave Beacon Hills. Bane had him making an exhibition of himself so they could justify the Sheriff sending him away. 

Robin looked around and realised it was working. There were crowds of people gathered around them, watching Stiles pull stunts on his stolen motorbike. People were tutting and frowning, talking shit behind his back about the Sheriff’s parenting skills and Stiles’ death wish. Stiles seemed oblivious to it all, he kept riding, whooping at every sharp turn or trick he managed to pull off. Pulling Stiles’ phone from the hoody he left beside him, he flicked through the song selection and blasted out Ugly Heart. He couldn’t keep the smile off his face, watching Stiles enjoy himself was worth it. Robin hummed along, singing loudly (and in the general direction of a gobsmacked pack) “I wonder does it blow your mind, that I’m leaving you far behind. I wonder does it stop your heart to know you’re not my sunshine anymore?”  



	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the lack of porn guys.

He felt strung out, his wolf pacing desperately, whining pathetically, constantly on edge. It had taken him a while to pinpoint the source of his problem. Of course, it should have been obvious, it was Stiles. Rather the lack of Stiles, his scent was missing from his clothes and the only traces of him in the loft were faint and tinged with anger. Stiles had been sneaking into his loft on a near constant basis, scent marking the sofa and on occasion Derek himself. He had grown accustomed to his scent, and without it he felt lost, desolate. 

He was alone with just his thoughts and they seemed to be circling around one point, one conversation. He had thought Robin would help, had smelled his fear and hopelessness, but up close Robin smelled like Stiles, confusion and desire. Not physical desire but the desire to belong. It was something Derek was achingly familiar with. He had tried so hard to fit in, to stand by his pack, to protect Scott and the others. Sure Scott was nicer to him now, seemed to even worry about him sometimes, but that feeling of brotherhood that he had longed for was missing. He wanted to be part of something again, to feel cared for and appreciated, loved even. The others trusted him more maybe than they had, but they didn’t care about him, not really. Stiles was the only one who felt like a real packmate. Stiles had made it a habit of rescuing him, of caring about his well-being. No-one else had done that since Laura died. Stiles was his security blanket and without him, his wolf was losing it, he was losing it. 

Robin talked about family, well Stiles felt like his family. It wasn’t deliberate like it clearly was with Robin, Stiles hadn’t conditioned him into caring, he had earned it, fought for it, fought for Derek. He didn’t want to lose that. He heard about Stiles’ antics in the parking lot with the bike, he knew what he was planning. It wasn’t very hard to figure out and even if Scott didn’t get it, Lydia did and her frustrated wails had near deafened him. Stiles was leaving, creating enough fuss that the sheriff could tell everyone he sent him away, to stay with family perhaps, or to military school more likely. Thinking about it made him ache. The thought of walking past Stiles’ house and not hearing him, scenting him, it was unbearable. 

It was that thought that had driven him to the small two storey building. He could hear four heartbeats inside, knew instinctively that one of them belonged to Stiles. He hesitated at the door, thinking through his options one last time, but the alternatives where too horrible to consider. The pack would never make him stay, Stiles’ relationships with his pack-members were fraught with tension and unsaid things. There weren’t worth giving up his family for. Steady in himself, he knocked twice and waited. It was Barsad who answered, the man eyeing him dubiously before escorting him inside without a word. Derek followed quietly, uncertain at the lack of response, from his eavesdropping he knew Barsad was a sarcastic and caustic, if quietly spoken, man. He tried not to fidget when Bane smirked triumphantly. Robin squeaked when he saw him, hiding behind Bane’s bulk, gripping the other man’s waist tightly. He barely even registered the difference at first, but then snapped his head back to stare at the terrorist. He had smiled! Bane’s cage-like mask was gone, Derek could see the silver scars painted into his skin, crisscrossing his lips. The overlarge coat he’d seen broadcasts all over the internet was missing as-well. Instead Bane was in a tight fitting sweater and glued on jeans. He looked normal, a definite gym bunny, but normal none-the-less. People would walk past him on the street and stare, but not for the reason they should. When he spoke his voice was richer than he expected, without the mechanical wheezing he sounded well-spoken and commanding. “The little one will be glad you came. We leave in three days, pack light.”  
He pulled Robin around to his chest and wrapped his arms around him possessively before leading him out of the room, Barsad in toe. He heard the front door click closed and took that as his signal to go upstairs. 

Stiles was half naked, his torso glistening in the soft light, a towel wrapped around his waist and water dripping from his hair. He was a wet dream come to life. Derek congratulated himself on keeping it together instead of running his fingers through that soft hair and dragging Stiles onto the bed. Stiles glared at him, completely unconcerned by his lack of clothing or the fact that the cold was making his nipples hard. Derek had to fight not to stare at them. “Get it over with Derek. Tell me how awful I am and how terrible Bane is then leave.”  
He should care that Stiles is glaring at him, that his tone is cold and nasty, but his wolf is basking in Stiles’ presence. He feels warm and content and it’s proof that he’s made the right decision. “You’re my family. The closest thing that I have left anyway.”   
He held up his hand when Stiles seemed ready to interrupt, he needed to get this off his chest. “Cora can barely look at me and Peter is, well he’s Peter. I feel safe with you, protected and cared for. I know it’s not very manly to admit it, but I need you in my life and if that means moving to the mountains to join a doomsday cult, then that’s what I’ll do.”   
He waited for Stiles to speak, to ramble on about how they’re not a doomsday cult or how he doesn’t give a flying fuck about Derek’s feelings. Instead there is silence. Stiles continues to stare at him and Derek is getting freaked out. He broke Stiles. 

The movement is so abrupt that Derek startles, but his wolf doesn’t flinch from it. Stiles flings his body at Derek, not caring that his towel has fallen off or that he’s getting Derek wet. He smashes their mouths together, digs his fingers into Derek’s hair and moans, Christ how he moans. Derek can’t stop his hands from reaching out and grabbing Stiles’ ass, pulling at Stiles until he’s got his legs wrapped around his waist, their cocks lined up perfectly. When Stiles pulls back to breathe a little, he pants, “Fuck Derek, love you so much.”   
Stiles rubs his face along Derek’s neck, the faintest hint of stubble scratching against his skin and he can’t help the noise that he makes, more a purr than a moan. It feels so good to wear Stiles’ scent again, to have it embedded in his skin like it belongs there. He whimpers a little as he promises, “Love you too.”


	13. Chapter 13

Stiles was sticky with sweat and cum, his body glistening with it in the lamplight. He felt amazing though, sated and content in a way he never had before. He was lying half on top of Derek, their legs entangled and their breathing still heavy. This probably wasn’t the time for it, but the truth had to come out eventually and sooner was better. Still he made sure his body was a secure weight on top of Derek, trapping him to the bed in case things went badly. “He’s my dad you know. Bane I mean.”   
Derek ran his fingers up his spine, working out any knots of tension he could find. “I know.”   
Stiles hummed and arched his back against Derek’s magic fingers. “We’re leaving soon. I know you said you’d follow me but do you know what that means? What it really means Derek? I’m pretty much head over heels for you big guy and it kills me to see you unhappy, so if you don’t think you can do it then tell me now.”   


He waited, tense and terrified that Derek would use this opportunity to run a million miles away from him. Derek’s body was hard against him, his hands fisting as his claws cut into his skin, dripping onto Stiles’ back. Still he waited, ignoring the drip drip drip of wet coating his skin. “I know that there’s nothing here for me without you and I understand that they are your pack, so yes I will go with you. I can’t promise that I will always agree with what you’re doing or that I’ll fall in line like the others, but I’ll try. I won’t undercut you in front of your brothers or doubt you in public, but in private I will expect you to listen to me, to respect my feelings. Can you do that Stiles?”  
He nodded so hard he felt like a bobble head doll. “I’ll listen to anything you have to say Der I swear. It’s going to be an adjustment, but I think you’ll like it.”   
Derek raised a sceptical eyebrow and Stiles took the opportunity to lean forward and kiss under his jawline, savouring the taste, before speaking, “The League behaves much more like a pack than the one here. They depend on each other, trust one another implicitly. It functions on hierarchy and obedience. I think you’ll fit in perfectly.”  
Derek muttered something under his breath but leaned closer to nuzzle into Stiles and hello Mr Happy, time for round 2! 

Of course this was the point where everything went to shit. Scott burst through the door and Stiles may have ninjad his way across the bed and whipped out a gun, but seriously a guy just broke into his bedroom; this is a normal reaction! Unfortunately Stiles took the covers with him, leaving Derek completely naked and Mr Happy on full display. Lydia smirked, ogling Derek’s manhood before glancing down at his own and hell no! Scott was flailing around the room, his claws covering his eyes shouting “Dude! Oh my God get some pants! What were you even, no just no, are you decent? Both of you please, I can’t un-see that ever!”   
Stiles couldn’t help but smirk at his antics, he lowered the gun careful to keep it close at hand in case he needed it. Derek unashamed of his nuditiy (and seriously why would he be? The guy was like a greek god!) stretched his hands behind his head and smiled smugly at everyone. Yeah that was not happening, holding the sheet in one hand Stiles pulled on a clean pair of boxers then threw the sheet back over Derek. There was no way anyone else was looking at that, it was his now and he was not willing to share. Derek growled playfully at him, pouting and man that was so going to win every argument they ever had. Scott’s puppy dog eyes had nothing on Derek’s pout. 

Liam and Kira shuffled in quietly, the boys eyes immediately flitting to the gun on his dresser. In a quiet voice Kira asked, “Scott why are you covering your face?”  
Parting his fingers (human again) Scott peeked through the gap, carefully assessing their nakedness before deciding he could in fact deal with this, but not until he opened a window. Which yeah sure it smelled like sex, but Stiles kind of liked that. He let his best bro crack the window though because, well because this was probably the last thing he could do for him and it wasn’t very much. It was Lydia who broke the quiet, her tone smug and grating, “Well I can see we were worried about nothing. It looks like everything’s sorted now. Are the others gone for good or should I call the FBI and claim that reward?”  
He could rip her apart with his bare hands if he wanted to. There were a hundred different ways he could kill her without anyone being able to stop him. He almost did it too, felt his foot shift forward a fraction before he pulled it back. Just because he wasn’t afraid anymore didn’t mean he could just do whatever he wanted. He was smarter than that. 

Gulping in a deep breath he smiled too brightly, “Hate to burst your bubble Lyds, but I’m not staying.”  
He watched her eyes flash between him and Derek and yeah he got why she would think that, but still, “Derek’s coming with me. There’s nothing left for him here.”  
Her frosty glare shot to Derek demanding he deny it, instead Derek sat up, his legs falling open under the sheets as he rested his arms across his knees. “I’m sorry Lydia, but he was never going to stay and I want to be part of something again, to have a real pack. I can have that with Stiles.”  
Scott looked flabbergasted while Kira and Liam did their best to melt into the wall away from Lydia. She was turning almost as red as her hair, her hands shaking in anger, “They are terrorists and murderers! They are fucking psychopaths Stiles. It’s a cult and they are going to suck you into their evil. I can’t believe you would fall for this Stiles, you’re smarter than that! You are going to ruin your life if you do this, do you understand that? You’ll be a fuigitive, a criminal and a fucking monster if you do even half of the shit Bane’s responsible for.”  
She was screaming at him but he didn’t care if she burst his eardrums because that was not fucking acceptable. He pushed into her space shouting back, “Get the fuck out of my house you harpy bitch before I gut you!”  
Scott’s arms wrapped around his waist pulling him back, but he was done with this shit. He wasn’t going to let anyone talk to him like that, talk about his family like that. He twisted out of Scott’s grip easy enough, the guy had never bothered to learn martial arts thinking his strength was enough to protect him, newsflash – it’s not! He was back in Lydia’s space in a second, physically pushing her out of his room as she screamed insults and profanities and if she said one more thing about his dad then was really going to lose it. 

He had her backed half way down the stairs when she hit the wall of Bane. She screeched when she saw him, scrambling back up the stairs towards Stiles and hell no. He was not her safety point, not anymore, not after all the shit she said. He made his body as big as he could blocking her in between them. He could see the twinkle in his father’s eye, the wry amusement he took from the situation but Stiles was just too pissed to enjoy it. He wanted her gone and if he had to throw her out of the house then so be it. Her breathing was ragged with fear but he kept moving until there was only one step between her and Bane. Quietly with a voice filled with steel he commanded, “Move” in an instant his father was at the bottom of the stairs and Stiles continued his inexorable walk. He could feel Scott behind him, his claws hovering over his skin afraid to do anything. He knew too that Derek was there keeping a steady grip on the Alpha, stopping him from reaching out. Bane smiled at the top of the staircase and well, that explained where Robin was at least. He probably scaled the outside wall like the werewolves do. Barsad opened the front door and made a sweeping bow as Lydia crossed the threshold, her eyes wide with terror. He stepped aside so Scott could follow her looking like a kicked puppy. He waited until all four of them were on his doorstep before he told them, “No-one comes between me and my family.”   
The door made a satisfying thunk as it shut and Stiles had closed that chapter in his life, he was done with it. He was done with all of this. 

His father’s hand wrapped around his shoulder pulling him in close for a hug. He pulled himself together quickly enough, stepping back and looking around. Robin was leaning against Derek, their sides touching, Bane didn’t even scowl at the sight. Barsad patted him on the back and wrinkled his nose at the way he smelled but didn’t say anything. They were waiting, all of them, were waiting for him. Taking a deep breath he gave his first command as the Leader of The League Of Shadows, “Pack up we’re leaving at first light.”  
His father smiled brightly at him, his eyes sparkling with pride. Barsad jumped to obey immediately, whipping out his phone to no doubt call Parrish. Bane said, “Come to me my little bird.” opened his arms wide and waited at the bottom of the staircase. Robin threw himself into his arms, wrapping as much of himself around Bane as possible, nuzzling close now that the mask wasn’t in his way. It was nice to see his dad again without the mask on, it’s use had been deliberate, a way to stand out in the crowd, to make himself a target and a symbol. The image had become so pervasive, that Stiles had quickly gotten sick of it and had longed to see his dad’s real face, scars and all. He should shower, after all he obviously stank and there wouldn’t be any more sexy times for Stiles, at least not until they were on the plane anyway. He made grabby hands at Derek though, watching the man heave an exasperated sigh as he tugged him into his arms. It was nice having everyone he loved in one place like this. He felt a twinge of guilt about Scott. He should have apologised for lying to everyone. He should have tried to make amends, but he really would have killed her if they’d stayed. He still felt bad about it though, but it was a tiny pinprick to the grief he felt at his mother’s absence. She should have been here for this. She should have lived to see her son take control, to become the man she wanted him to be. He would make Bruce pay for that, after all, eventually everyone had to pay for their sins.


End file.
